Non-Commercial Media on the Grounds
Seattle Center is home to a mix of not-for-profit public media outlets providing a range of music and news programming – all with heavy emphasis on local issues, partnerships and artists. Most people still think of the Center’s northeast corner occupant as KCTS, but its name is now Cascade Public Media. KCTS first went on the air in 1954, joined the newly created Public Broadcasting Service in 1970 and moved to Seattle Center in 1986. Thirty years later, with an eye on expanding into other media platforms, KCTS merged with Crosscut, which provides local, in-depth reporting, and another website to form Cascade Public Media. A big kudos on a highly interesting and insightful Crosscut Festival earlier this month. The amazing roster of speakers covered a range of important and timely subjects.
Classical KING FM, at 98.1FM, relocated to Seattle Opera Center in 2019. This classical music station was part of KING Broadcasting until 1992, when it was sold to a non-profit partnership consisting of Seattle Opera, Seattle Symphony and ArtsFund. It fully transitioned to a listener-supported public radio station in 2011 and now serves as the region’s on-air source of classical music, highlighting local artists and events. The public has until tomorrow at 11:59pm to help decide the station’s 2021 Young Artist Awards winners. Just watch videos of the five finalists at each of two categories (king.org) and give a thumbs up to favorites.
KEXP specializes in alternative and indie rock programmed by its disc jockeys. The beloved public radio station relocated to Seattle Center in 2016. KEXP presents vast musical genres like rockabilly, blues, world music, hip hop, electronica, punk and alternative country. In-studio performances are also regularly scheduled. This month, KEXP is centering Asian and Pasifika voices locally and nationally in conversation with the Asian and Pasifika diaspora in Pushing Boundaries. Catch it at kexp.org or 90.3FM.
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About Seattle Center:
Connect to the extraordinary at Seattle Center, an active civic, arts and family gathering place in the core of our region. More than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations that reside on the grounds, together with a broad range of public and community programs, create thousands of events on the 74-acre campus and attract over 12 million visitors each year. At Seattle Center, part of Uptown Arts & Cultural District, our purpose is to create exceptional events, experiences and environments that delight and inspire the human spirit to build stronger communities. Activities at the Center generate $1.864 billion in business activity and $631 million in labor income.
